A woman who accused Jay-Z and Diddy of assaulting her when she was 13 is standing by her story, even as she admits there are inconsistencies. In an interview with NBC News, the Alabama woman—referred to as Jane Doe—recounted what she described as a life-altering incident involving a limo ride to the White House, a drink that made her feel disoriented, and an assault by the two rap stars.
Doe acknowledged she “made some mistakes” in her account but said the gaps are understandable given that the events allegedly happened 24 years ago. “I stand by what I said,” she told NBC, emphasizing that while not every detail may align perfectly, the core of her story remains unchanged.
Jay-Z’s legal team has responded by pointing to the inconsistencies, arguing they cast doubt on the credibility of the allegations. A source close to the case said, “We’re taking this seriously and reviewing all the evidence.”
The accuser, however, remains determined to move forward. “You should always advocate for yourself,” she said. “Don’t let what someone else did control or ruin your life.”
Jane Doe’s identity remains confidential, though there is speculation that she may choose to reveal it—or that legal proceedings could force it into the open.
As the case gains attention, questions about the reliability of Doe’s account and its potential impact on other survivors are likely to shape the narrative moving forward.
The woman says her father picked her up after the assault, but he doesn’t remember that. She also claims she talked to a celebrity at the afterparty where she says the incident took place, but that celebrity insists he wasn’t even in New York at the time. She says, “I spoke to this celebrity.” And he responds, “I have proof I wasn’t even in the state.”
Photos from that night show Jay-Z (Sean Carter) and Diddy at different locations than the ones the woman described. But, I want to note that I actually read the court documents—both Jay-Z and Diddy were spotted at the same club, Lotus, though Diddy was also seen at another club. So, while they were at the same place at some point, it’s unclear if they ended up at the same afterparty.
Now 38, the woman says she was living in New York in 2000 and had always dreamed of going to the VMAs. At 13, she snuck out of her window to escape her parents and make her way to the event.
“I can barely believe it,” she says. “At 13, I was scared of my own shadow. The thought of sneaking out of my window in Rochester and somehow getting to the VMAs seems impossible.”
Why speak out now?
“I’ve stayed quiet long enough. It’s been hard to keep all of this inside, but it’s time to close this chapter of my life.”
Jane Doe claims she didn’t have a ticket to the event. In her lawsuit, she says she watched part of the show on a Jumbotron. Later, she started talking with a limo driver and tried to get into an afterparty to meet celebrities. The limo driver allegedly “sold her off” to meet Diddy, who she says might have assaulted her.
MTV has confirmed there was no Jumbotron at the event. They tried to get a permit for one but were denied. Jay-Z’s legal team uncovered evidence that makes her story seem less believable.
The limo driver says he worked for Diddy and claims Jane Doe “fit what Diddy was looking for.” She says she signed a document she didn’t read—likely an NDA.
Professional photos reviewed by NBC show Diddy and Jay-Z at an afterparty at Lotus Nightclub. However, the venue Jane Doe described doesn’t match the Lotus.
Jane Doe told NBC News, “I was talking to Fred Durst and Benji Madden about his tattoo.” But a representative for Madden confirmed neither he nor his brother were at the 2000 VMAs—they were on tour in the Midwest at the time.
The woman, who identifies as autistic, says this impacted her experience.
She claims she found an empty room with a bed in it and started feeling unwell after drinking something that made her dizzy. She alleges that both Jay-Z and Diddy then did some really horrible things to her.
We’re aware of these allegations, but we won’t get into the details here.
Jane Doe then explained, “I was upset. The person at the gas station could tell and let me use the phone. I called my dad, the only person I trusted. I told him I messed up and needed a ride home. We rode home in silence. He didn’t ask what happened or where I was.”
She continued, “He came in, and at that point, I was trying to fight him off. He put his hand over my mouth and told me to stop it. Cut—stop it. Cut.”
She later told NBC News that she never told anyone about the alleged attack or wrote it down in a diary.
“Even if someone found out, who would believe me? It would be two celebrities against me,” she said.
However, her father told NBC News he doesn’t remember picking her up after the alleged incident, which raises questions about a key detail in her lawsuit. According to their address at the time, he would have had to drive over five hours to get to her.
He said, “I feel like I would remember that, and I don’t. I’ve got a lot going on, but that’s something I’d definitely remember.”
The father, who just recently learned about the allegations, does remember picking her up once in the middle of the night, but says it was a local drive.
“We rode home in silence. He didn’t ask what happened or where I was,” he added.
In an interview with NBC News, he said he can’t verify her claims.
“I feel like I would remember that, and I don’t. I’ve got a lot going on, but it’s something I would definitely remember,” he said.
When asked about the contradictions in a phone interview, Jane Doe stood by her statements.
Her lawyer, Tony Busby, released a statement addressing some of the inconsistencies—especially regarding her father’s recollections. “Regarding her father’s memories, we agree. He says he doesn’t remember, and she explains that at the time, he wasn’t in a state to recall things due to personal issues. This happened more than 20 years ago.”
“What’s clear is what happened to me and the path that led me here—even if not all the faces are as clear,” the woman said. “I might have made a mistake in identifying people.”
Another part of her story that can’t be verified is how she made it to New York City that night. One of her attorneys gave NBC News the name and birthdate of a friend who supposedly drove her—someone who would have been 20 at the time. But that person appears to have passed away.
The years that followed were incredibly tough for her. She said, “I became severely depressed. I withdrew completely. My grades started slipping.”
She faced homelessness and, at one point, suffered a head injury. Later, both she and her father came to believe that she was assaulted again.
Jane Doe has been through so much. I’m truly sorry, Jane Doe.
Now, she’s a mother of two— a son and a daughter. She served less than a year in the Army National Guard and left with the rank of private.
I’m left confused by all of this.
She earned her high school diploma and went on to get a Christian Counseling certification so she could help others who’ve been through what she’s endured.
“I’m scared of what might happen, but I’m more afraid of letting it destroy me from the inside out than I am of being judged by their fans.”
Because of the inconsistencies in her story, Jay-Z is trying to have the case dismissed.
Jay-Z’s legal team recently filed a motion to remove him from the lawsuit. They pointed to a recent NBC News interview with the accuser, where she admitted to inconsistencies in her account.
In a legal filing obtained by the Daily Mail, Jay-Z’s lawyers said, “When NBC pressed her, she admitted, ‘I’ve made some mistakes. I’ve made a mistake in identifying.’”
Due to these contradictions, Jay-Z’s lawyers argue that he should not be held responsible.
Here’s what Jay-Z’s lawyer, Alex, had to say about it:
“We expect Mr. Carter to be fully cleared of all of this in the coming days. Almost nothing she says adds up because this never happened. She admits she might have gotten some details wrong, but insists the incident occurred.”
What do you think of that?
“Anyone can repeat a claim, but the details will never line up. During her interview, her story started to fall apart. She described a tattoo in vivid detail—only for it to turn out to be completely false.
Her father, who was supposedly supposed to drive ten hours to pick her up, has no memory of that.
No one has come forward with this story in nearly 25 years because it simply didn’t happen.”
As Jay-Z’s team uses this interview to their advantage, Diddy’s legal team is doing the same. They’re calling this a “shameful money grab” and say it’s on the verge of falling apart.
Then there’s 50 Cent, who’s adding fuel to the fire. He posted an AI-generated video showing Jay-Z and Diddy getting arrested.
He shared the video on Instagram with the caption, “I want to post this, but I’m afraid I’m going to get shot.”